Reviews the literature on self-worth & suicide in youth, & describes a study in which 350 grade 6 to 8 children, with various levels of suicidal ideation were given psychosocial measures. Results indicate a linear relationship between depression & ideation; that discrepancy between perceived competence & importance of success (to self & parents) was correlated with ideation, & that social support was not linearly related to ideation. (RM)